BEA KLEIN

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BEA KLEIN With great sadness, the family of Bea Klein announce her passing on August 30, 2001 at the Sharon Home Simkin Centre. Born in Winnipeg in 1904 into a poor immigrant family, she lost her father Lupu at an early age and then helped her mother Caroline in her store on Selkirk Avenue. Bea adored her two brothers and three sisters, who have all predeceased her, Maxie, Sam, Sarah, Mollie and Dorothy. She attended Aberdeen school and worked at the Winnipeg Grain Exchange in order to help her family survive the depression. Just after the outbreak of the Second World War, she married Harry Klein and moved to Bredenbury and Kelvington, SK where they operated a general store. In 1941 their first son Bill was born followed by Bryan in 1943. They loved their life in Kelvington and had many friends who they remained in contact with for many years after their move to Winnipeg in 1953. Bea worked with Harry in his store on Logan Avenue and then in the grocery and smallwares businesses which he ran until they bought the Empire Hotel in 1964. They were very proud of the Empire and worked together for many years until Harry became less active in business. They spent many happy times together, Bea walking with Harry while he golfed, travelling in the country, and wintering in Palm Springs and Margate, FL. Bea was blessed with a marvellous sense of humour. Notwithstanding many hardships and difficulties she had a great attitude to life, never giving up, supporting her husband, children and grandchildren in every way she could, and always seeing the humour in every day events. She was a dutiful wife to Harry and a mother to Bill and Bryan at all times. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy and at an age when most women her age were living in nursing homes she became a fabulous bubbie making Friday night dinners and baby sitting them whenever she could. She entered the Sharon Home in 1995 but her health gradually faded and her eyesight and memory dimmed. Despite debilitating illnesses, her sense of humour remained almost to the end. We will cherish her forever. She is survived by her son Bill and his partner Gary Smith of Toronto, and her son Bryan and his wife Susan Halprin and their daughters, Baillie, Sarry and Julie all of Winnipeg. The funeral took place on August 31 with interment in the Shaarey Zedek Memorial Park. Shiva took place at Bryans home. The family expresses its sincerest gratitude to all the nursing staff at the Sharon Home for their constant care of Bubbie Bea throughout her life there. The family also wish to thank Beas caregivers in her last years, Felippe Villanueve and Purlita Espiritu, for their love of and devotion to Bubbie Bea. If friends wish to do so they may make a donation in her memory to the Sharon Home, 586-9781 or to a charity of their choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 08, 2001